My heart stopped.
That was way too fast. The last time I’d gone through this process, the panel had at least pretended to deliberate longer.
There was only one reason they wouldn’t need to debate.
As the thin man led the way back to the table, my eyes burned with tears of disappointment. Beside him, the woman with the pointed glasses took her seat without looking at me. The sausage-fingered man followed, shuffling papers.
I couldn’t breathe.
This was it. After everything, after finally opening up and showing them the man I’d become, they were going to deny me anyway. And I deserved it.
But Harper didn’t deserve the guilt. I hated that she’d probably blame herself for something that was my fault, not hers.
Then I thought about another 365 days in this place. Another year away from Harper. Another year of Gwen growing older without me.
Something inside me started to cave in.
The thin man cleared his throat. “Mr. Blackwood.”
I looked up.
“This panel finds that you have demonstrated genuine remorse and meaningful rehabilitation over the course of your incarceration.”
Wait.
“After careful consideration of the evidence, including your conduct over the past fourteen years, your educational achievements, and the testimony presented here today, we will be recommending commutation of sentence to the governor.”
The words didn’t make sense. They bounced around inside my skull like pinballs, refusing to land anywhere that mattered.
“I’m sorry,” I heard myself say. “Could you repeat that?”
The thin man’s lips twitched. It might have been a smile.
“You’ve been granted parole, Mr. Blackwood.”
Ryker’s hand slammed down on my shoulder and squeezed.
I stared at him. Then at the panel. Then back at Ryker.
“I don’t …”
“Your release date has been set,” the woman added, her voice marginally warmer than before.
“The governor’s approval is largely a formality at this stage,” Ryker whispered.
The rest of the hearing dissolved into white noise. Procedures were followed. Papers were signed. Words were spoken that I couldn’t process.
I’d won.
After fourteen years, I was getting out.
The panel stood. Filed out of the room.
When I turned, the room blurred.
My family was already moving toward me, but my eyes caught on the back row. Three men sat in the back, having snuck in just to be here for me. Quietly, without announcement, without needing credit for it.
Blake. Jace. Axel.
